The new draft of the Russian military doctrine doesn’t provide for the possibility of a preemptive nuclear strike, news agencies report quoting unnamed sources in the Defense Ministry.

“The renewed draft of the military doctrine would not have a
reservation for preventive nuclear strikes on potential enemy.
Article 198 of the document is very precise on the conditions
under which Russia can use the nuclear weapons,” a person
involved in the preparation of the new doctrine told the Interfax
on Wednesday.

“It would become possible if the sovereignty and territorial
integrity of the Russian Federation are under threat.”

RIA Novosti confirmed the report on the same day, quoting a
high-placed source in Russia’s Security Council. The source said
that the military had repeatedly suggested including the
possibility of a pre-emptive nuclear strike on potential
aggressor nations or blocs, but the current draft features no
such option.

The Russian military doctrine, approved in 2010, also lacks the
provision for a preemptive nuclear strike. It states: “The
Russian Federation reserves the right to use nuclear weapons in
reply to strikes with nuclear weapons or other weapons of mass
destruction on its territory or on the territory of its allies. A
strike is also possible in case of an aggression with use of
conventional weapons that put the very existence of the Russian
Federation into question.”

The doctrine gives the right of final decision on nuclear strike
to the president.

This September, President Vladimir Putin charged senior military
and state officials with the task of developing an updated
military doctrine that would match the changing global politics
and modern military challenges. The deadline is the end of the
year. Officials involved in the project earlier told the press
that the new doctrine would take into consideration the new
dangers and threats, in particular those manifested in the
so-called Arab Spring, the civil war in Syria and the ongoing
crisis in Ukraine.

Last year, Russia’s official in charge of defense industry,
Deputy PM Dmitry Rogozin, told reporters that Russia
will use nuclear weapons if it comes under an attack, adding that
this possibility serves as the main deterrent to potential
provocateurs and aggressors.

“We have never diminished the importance of nuclear weapons –
the weapon of reprisal – as the great balancer of chances,”
Rogozin said.

The comment came in reply to reports about the United States’
Conventional Prompt Global Strike (PGS) strategy. Back then,
Rogozin promised Russian lawmakers that the Fund of Perspective
Researches (FPI) will develop a plan of military response to the
PGS strategy, but refused to disclose any details or deadlines.